Safety device for elevators



(No ModeL) W. W, JACKSON.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR BLEVATORS.

No. 381,405. Patented Deo. 1, 1885.,

Figj F592 liNTTnn STATES PATENT Trice.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-No- 331,405, dated December1,1885. Application filed April 24, 1885. Y Serial o. 163,268. (Nomodel.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM W. J AcKsoN, brewer and maltster, a citizen4of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the .county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in SafetyStop Devices for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel and reliable stopmechanism for automatically arresting thedescent of the cage or car ofan elevator immediately upon a rupture of the hoisting cable or Acables, and at any point within the elevator-shaft where a breakage ofthe cable may occur.

A further object is to adapt an automatic mechanism of such character toalso serve as a means for braking or permitting the cage or car todescend at intervals, or as slowlyT as may be desired, and thereby placethe cage or car under the control of the conductor.

In a stop mechanism for elevators embodyf ing the principles of myinvention the elevator shaft isprovided at one or more, but preferablyat two, of its opposite sides with upright ways or guide-bars havinginclined plane faces extending substantially from top to bottom of theshaft. The degree of inclination of these faces from the vertical issuch as to cause them to converge somewhat from their upper toward theirlower ends,whereby the space between said faces is wedge-shaped, buthaving a taper so gradual as not to interfere with the free ascent anddescent of the car. The car is provided with stops extend ing fromopposite sides thereof, with their outer ends at all times restingagainst the inclined faces. The stops bear against these inclined faceswith a yielding pressure as long as the cable is intact, so that duringthe ascent and the descent of the car the stops will gradually extend orretract in conformity to the inclination of the faces,against which theybear at their outer ends.

As a means forholding the stops immovable as soon as a rupture of thecable takes place, a movable abutment is connected with the cable insuch a way that upon the breakage of the cable the abutment willautomatically shift into position to oppose a positive resistance to theretraction of the stops, whereby the tendency of the car to drop willcause-its stops thus locked by the abutment to bind against theinclinedfaces at the sides of the elevator-shaft, and thus effectivelyprevent further descent of the car so long as the stops are heldimmovable.

Io permit the abutment to be operated at theV will of theelevator-conductor, so as to bring it at any time in position to arrestthe retraction of the stops to stop the car, and also after it has beenbrought into such position to gradually withdraw it therefrom, in orderto permit the stops to retract at intervals, or as slowly as may bedesired, with a view to regulating the descent of the car, theconnection between the abutment and thecable is made extensible in suchmanner that it may be adjusted by the conductor of the car, so as tooperate and adjust the abutmentiu position relatively to the stops.

The principles of my invention may be applied in a variety of ways, asevidenced by the several figures of the accompanying drawings,.illustrating several arrangements embodying my invention.

In said drawings, Figure l is a section on a vertical plane through anelevator shaft and car, with a safety stop mechanism or stop devicesembodying the principles of my invention. Figs. 2, 3, and Li are similarviews, respectively illustrating different forms of stop mechanisms orstop Vdevices differing somewhat in` details of construction, butinvolving the same principles as the stop mechanism or stop devicesshown in Fig. 1.

.The cage or car A, shaft B, and cable or cables C, for hoisting andlowering the car, may be of any ordinary or desired construction, theshaft being preferably provided at opposite sides with vertical guidesD, for guiding and stead ying` the car, as usual.

In the elevator herein illustrated two hoisting-cables are arranged topass over pulleys F, which are mounted in or upon a support, E, at thetop of the shaft. One cable may, however, be employed, if desired, and apulley or pulleys therefor supported at the top of the shaft in anysuitable Way. The car is suspended from the cables by means of adrawhead, H, which isarranged to slide vertically through a suitableguide at the top portion of IOO the car, for example as at C', where arectangular opening for the draw-head is provided through a horizontalbar or plate, C2, bolted tothe top braces, G3, of the car-frame. Thecables are attached to the upper end of the draw-head, which latter isprovided with a shoulder, h, which prevents the draw-head from beingdrawn up through the guide-opening C. In this way so long as the cableor cables is or are intact the weight of the car is sustained by theshoulder 7i of the drawhead, and the latter is suspended directly from.the cables.

L designates the abutment-block, which is connected with the draw-head,and arranged in such position relative to stops I that upon a-breakageof the cables the abutment-block will drop into position to hold thestops locked or immovable, it being understood that the instant arupture in the cables takes place the draw-head will drop independent ofand at a greater rate of speed than the car can descend.

As several forms of connecting devices between the draw-head and theabutment-block are herein illustrated, a description of the specificconstruction thereof will be hereinafter made, it being merely necessaryto state, before describing the stops and the faces against which theyact, that a rigid connection is preferably maintained between thedrawhead and the abutment-block, which connection may be madeextensible, for purposes hereinafter set forth.

The stops I consist of bolts or bars, preferably made of steel andarranged to slide in guideways in or on the car, so as to normallyproject from the car at opposite sides thereof.

As herein shown, the bolts are arranged horizontally and formed withtheir under sidesinclining upwardly from their outer to their innerends. These inclined lower sides of the stops or bolts rest uponanti-friction rollers t', arranged in recesses 7c', formed at the bottomofthe guideways, for the stops, in which ways the stops will moveoutwardly by gravity,and thus normally extend out from the car as far astheinclined faces d will permit them.y The inclined faces d areconveniently formed by channeling the guide'bars D so as to form theback walls of the channels with an incline. The faces d thus formedconverge from their upper toward their lower ends, and extendsubstantially from the top tothe bottom of the elevator-shaft. 'Thestops I rest or bear at their outer ends against these inclined faceswith a yielding pressure, so that as the car ascends the stops willgradually extend out from the car, and when the car descends the stopswill be gradually forced back by the inclination of said faces, theextent of longitudinal or end movement of the stops being in either caseproportional to the degree of inclination of the faces from a verticalline. The weight of the stops maintains them at all times in contactwith the inclined faces, it being immaterial, so far as this feature isconcerned,

whether the entire stop is inclined,or whetherH its under side only isinclined, as herein shown. Where two stops are employed, the stops areconveniently arranged in line with each other, in order that a singleabutment-block may serve for both stops. f

The abutment-block is best made of a wedge Or tapering shape, preferablyin the form of an inverted cone. It is maintained with its lower endextending down into the space between the inner opposing ends of thestops, but not touching them so long as the cable remains intact. rlheinstant, however, the cable parts the draw-head and the abutmentblockdrop with a rapidity which will bring the abutment-block between andagainst the inner ends ofthe stops, thus opposing a positive resistanceto any back movement of the stops from the action of the inclined faces,and hence arresting the descent of the car, the weight of which latterwill obviously cause the stops to bind against the opposing inclinedfaces d. In this way as soon as the cable has broken the car will be ineffect wedged tightly within a wedge-shaped space,which is practicallyformed between the two opposing inclined faces d, the stops being undersuch circumstances held rigid with the car, and being therebytemporarily a rigid or fixed member thereof.

With regard to some of the points at which the stops may be arranged inthe car, and the connections between the draw-head and theabutment-block, Fig. l shows a pair of proximately horizontal stops, I,arranged to slide in guideways, which are formed below the caroor in across timber or bar, K. The inner ends of the stops are presented at thesides of an opening or aperture arranged at the mid'- dle of the bar ortimber, and designed to receive the abutment-block L. The abutmentblockis formed with or secured to the lower end of a slide-rod, L, whichpasses through openings in the floor and top of the car, and at itsupper end screws into athreaded socket or bore in the draw-head. rIheslide-rod Lhas a shoulder, Z, which limits its upward movement, and thedraw-head is preferably provided with a shoulder, h', which may rest onthe bar O2, when the draw-head is down to the required extent, after thecable has broken. The slidebar is provided with a hand-wheel, M, withinreach of the conductor of the car, so that by turning the wheel, andconsequently the rod to which the wheel is secured, the abutment can beraised or lowered independent of the position of the draw-head. Aspring, N, is also provided for hastening the drop of the abutment-blockafter a rupture of the cable. This spring may be arranged at anysuitable point to act either directly upon the abutment-block, the rodL, or the drawhead. It is herein shown confined in a casing, N', on topof the car, in which oase the rod L has a shoulder or pin, Z, which,when the draw-head is up in the position shown, acts against the lowerend of the spring and compresses the same wit-hin the casing N',

IIO.

whereby the instant the draw-headis released by a rupture of the cablethe spring will expand and force the rod down.

By turning rod L the abutment-block can at any time be brought down andagainst the inner ends of the stops; or, in case a break in the cablehas taken place and the car has been stopped some way up within theshaft, it may be lowered, either gradually or at intervals, by turningrod L so as to gradually raise the abutment-block, which, by reason ofits inclined sides, will permit the stops to retract as it is drawnupwardly. The same principles of operation are involved in the formsshown in the remaining figures.

In Fig. 2 the beam or bar K, in which the stops are guided, is arrangedat the'top of the car, in which case the rod L is considerably shortenedand extended somewhat below the abutment-block, so as to project belowthe top wallof the car to an extent only just sufficient to receive thehand-wheel IVI.

In Fig. 3 the rod L is provided withahandwheel, as in Fig. 2; but inlieu of'loeing connected directly with the abutment-block it isconnected with and adapted to turn in the top cross-bar of a rectangularslide frame, L2, which is provided at the middle of its lower cross-barwith the abutment-block. This frame has its top bar above the top of thecar and its lower crossbar below the floor thereof, the vertical sidebars of said frame heilig` arranged to work in suitable guides in thesides of the car, and being of a proper length to admit of the requiredextent of vertical play on the part of the entire slide-frame.

In Fig. 4t the car is provided with two pairs of gravity orself-adjusting stops, one pair of stops, I, being below the iioor andthe remaining pair of stops, I', being at the top portion of the car. Inthis case the rod L extends down through the center of the car, and isprovided at its lower end with an abutmentblock, L', and at a point nearits upper end with a similar abutment-block, L3, the lower one beingprovided for stops I and the upper one for stops I.

The springs are not shown in the last three iigures; but it isunderstood that they may be applied in any suitable way. The inclines dare not necessarily formed in the usual guides, D, for the elevator, butare preferably formed therein.

rlhe preferred form of abutment-block is that cfa cone, so that it maybe rigid with the slide-rod L, and thereby' turn with said rod when thesame is turned so as to adjust the abutment-block, as hereinbeforedescribed. It will be evident, however, that, aside from this feature ofraising and lowering the abutment-block by hand-power, any other form ofwedge-block, or block having inclined sides, would answer; and hence Ido not limit myself to the conical forrn of abutment-block. I also wishto be understood as claiming, broadly, the feature of a car for anelevator having a stop or stops which, upon the breakage of the cable,are rigidly held against one or more inclined faces extending from thetop to the bottoni ofthe shaft, it being obvious that but one stop andone inclined face might be cmployed, although the result is not as goodas where two or more stops an d inclined-faces are employed.

Vhat I claim as my invention isl. rlhe combination, with anelevator-shaft provided with inclined `faces converging from the upperto the lower portion of the shaft, of an elevator car provided with stopdevices adapted to be projected therefrom to wedge the car between saidconverging faces of the shaft, substantially as described, and for thepurpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the elevator-shaft provided at opposite sideswith inclined faces,

substantially as described, of the car provided with stops bearing witha yielding pressure against said inclined faces,and means for holdingsaid stops immovable, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with the elevator-shaft having inclined faces d, ofthe car provided with self-adjusting stops bearing against the inclinedfaces with a yielding pressure,and an abutment-block connected with thehoistingcable and located to drop into position to oppose a. positiveresistance to the retraction of the stops upon the breakage of thecable, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in an elevator, of the inclined faces d with thestops I and an abutment-block, L', having a wedge or tapering form, andconnected with the hoisting-cable, substantially in the manner and forthe pur pose described.

5. The combination, in an elevator, of the inclined faces at the sidesof the shaft with the stops I and the wedge or conical shapedabutment-block L, connected with a draw-head, H, which latter is in turnconnected with the hoisting-cable, substantially as described.

6. In an elevator, the slidestops normally projecting from the sides ofthe car, in cornbination with a draw-head connected with the cable andsustaining the weight of the car, and means,substantially as described,connecting the draw-head with an abutment-block located in position topermit the retraction of the stops when the car is sustained by thedraw-head, and to drop back of the stops and check their retraction whenthe drawhead is released by a breakage of the cable, substantially asset forth.

7. The combination, in an elevator of the inclined faces d with thestops I,the abutmentblock L', connected with the cable, substantially asdescribed, and a' spring for depressing the abutment-block as soon as abreak has occurred in the cable, for the purpose specified.

8. The combination, in an elevator, of the inclined sides or faces dwiththe stops I, the abutment-block L', connected with the cable,substantially as described, and the anti-fric- IOO IIO

tion rollers supporting said stops, for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, in an elevator, ofthe longitudinally-sliding stopsI, movable in direction transverse tothe line of motion of the car,substantially as set forth, with the wedge abutmentblock L', adjustablevertically in a plane between the inner opposing ends of the stops, andsubstantially at right angles to the plane of movement of said stops,the draw head H,connected with the cable and upholding the car, and aslide-rod, L, screwing into the draw`head and connected with theabutment-block, said rod being provided with a hand-wheel or handle forturning it, so as to effect a vertical adjustment of the abutmentblockbetween the stops, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, in an elevator, of the inclined faces d at thesides of the shaft, with the car provided with stops I, theabutmentblock L', connected with a draw-head, II, and

the cables C, attached to the drawlhead and passing over pulleys at thetop of the shaft, said draw-head being free to drop when a break occursin the cables, and a spring being applied, substantially as described,to hasten the descent of the draw-head under such circumstances, for thepurpose set forth.

1l. In an elevator, the vertical guides D, having inclined faces d,formed in grooves thereof, in combination with one or more pairs ofsliding stops carried by the car, and having their outer ends maintainedby gravity against t-he said inclined faces, and bearing against thesame with a yielding pressure, and a conical or Wedge-shapedabutment-block connected, substantially as described, with the cable,said abutmentblock being arranged at a point above the space interveningbetween the inner ends of the stops, and being arranged, when permittedto drop, to bring its sides between the stops upon the rupture of thecable, substantially as and for the purpose described.

ILLIAM W. JACKSON.

Vitnesses:

CHAs. G. PAGE, WM. H. Rown.

